The Bee's Buzz
by SunflowerGal
Summary: Beepaw and Morningpaw will forever hold a grudge against their mother, Dovewing, for letting go of their father Bumblestripe. But what if Bumblestripe finds a new mate of his own? Will the sisters be able to accept the possibility of a "new mother"- and will she be better than Dovewing ever was?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is Book 3 out of 6 in the After the Fire series. But no fear! If you haven't read the two books before this, When the Sun Goes Down & A New Destiny, it's perfectly fine! I will give you a brief summary of each book below, and it should get you completely caught up on what's going on. (Still feel free to read those stories if you'd like. I'm not stopping you!)**

 **Note: This entire series is an AU to _Dovewing's Silence_ & _Bramblestar's Storm_ as well as any books taking place after them.**

 **Book 1: When the Sun Goes Down: The lake flooded, and the four Clans had to scramble to the mountains for safety. They sought refuge with the Tribe, though that group was having a problem with cats disappearing at random. POVs are Lilypaw/fern, Seedpaw/speck, Cinderheart, & Poppyfrost.**

 **Book 2: A New Destiny: New POVs: Beekit/paw, Lakekit/paw, Morningkit/paw, & Fogkit/paw. Bee and Morning, sisters, are daughters of Dovewing & Bumblestripe. Lake and Fog, brothers, are the sons of Ivypool & an unknown tom. Deals with the early "growing up" stuff of the foursome.**

* * *

 **Allegiances**

 _ThunderClan_

 ** _Leader,_ Bramblestar-** dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 ** _Deputy,_ Squirrelflight-** dark ginger she-cat with one white paw and green eyes

 ** _Medicine Cats,_ Jayfeather-** gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes **(Apprentice: Briarlight)**

 **Leafpool-** light brown tabby she-cat with white chest and paws; amber eyes

 ** _Warriors,_ Birchfall-** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice: Puddlepaw)**

 **Berrynose-** cream-colored tom with blue eyes and a stubby tail

 **Poppyfrost-** tortoiseshell and white she-cat with yellow eyes **(Apprentice: Oakpaw)**

 **Mousewhisker-** gray-and-white tom with green eyes

 **Lionblaze-** golden tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Cinderheart-** gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Toadstep-** black-and-white tom with yellow eyes

 **Rosepetal-** dark cream she-cat with blue eyes

 **Bumblestripe-** very pale gray tom with black stripes and blue eyes

 **Molefoot-** brown-and-cream tom with amber eyes

 **Tigerheart-** dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice: Honeypaw)**

 **Icecloud-** white she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice: Flintpaw)**

 **Hazeltail-** small gray-and-white she-cat with green eyes

 **Dovewing-** pale gray she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice: Bloodpaw)**

 **Ivypool-** silver-and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes **(Apprentice: Stonepaw)**

 **Lilyfern-** dark tabby she-cat with white patches and amber eyes **(Apprentice: Beepaw)**

 **Seedspeck-** very pale ginger she-cat with green eyes **(Apprentice: Morningpaw)**

 **Amberear-** pale gray she-cat with white paws, muzzle, right ear, and amber eyes **(Apprentice: Lakepaw)**

 **Snowtail-** white tom with amber eyes **(Apprentice: Fogpaw)**

 **Dewclaw-** gray tom with amber eyes

 **Smokyfur-** gray tom with blue eyes

 **Larchfeather-** ginger-and-white tom with green eyes

 ** _Apprentices,_ Briarlight-** dark brown she-cat with blue eyes, paralyzed in the hindquarters; medicine cat apprentice

 **Puddlepaw-** brown tabby-and- white tom with blue eyes

 **Oakpaw-** dark brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Bloodpaw-** white tom with pink-red eyes

 **Honeypaw-** creamy golden she-cat with amber eyes

 **Flintpaw-** gray tom with blue eyes

 **Stonepaw-** gray tabby tom with blue eyes

 **Beepaw-** pale gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Morningpaw-** silver she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Lakepaw-** black-and-white tom with amber eyes

 **Fogpaw-** silver tabby tom with dark blue eyes

 ** _Queens,_ Blossomfall-** tortoiseshell-and-white queen with blue eyes (Mother to Mousewhisker's kits: **Buzzardkit** , a pale ginger tom with green eyes; and **Shrewkit** , a gray she-kit with white paws and blue eyes)

 **Whitewing-** white she-cat with green eyes (Expecting Birchfall's kits)

 ** _Elders,_ Millie-** striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 **Brackenfur-** golden-brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Cloudtail-** long-haired white tom with blue eyes

 **Brightheart-** white she-cat with ginger patches, one scarred eye, one blue eye, and shredded ears

 _ShadowClan_

 ** _Leader,_ Rowanstar- ** ginger tom with green eyes

 ** _Deputy,_ Tawnypelt-** pale tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

 ** _Medicine Cat,_ Mistcloud- ** spiky-furred pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

 ** _Warriors,_ Smokefoot-** black tom with a ragged pelt and green eyes

 **Olivenose-** tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

 **Crowfrost-** black and white tom with green eyes

 **Dawnpelt-** cream-furred she-cat with amber eyes

 **Owlclaw-** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Scorchfur-** dark gray tom with a torn ear and dark amber eyes

 **Pinenose-** black she-cat with green eyes

 **Ferretclaw-** cream-and-gray tom with green eyes **(Apprentice: Twigpaw)**

 **Starlingwing-** ginger tom with green eyes **(Apprentice: Comfreypaw)**

 **Kinkfur-** tabby she-cat with fur that sticks out at all angles and blue eyes

 **Sparrowflight-** large tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Ivytail-** long-furred black, white, and tortoiseshell queen with green eyes

 **Redpatch-** huge black and reddish-brown tom with blue eyes

 **Flamedapple-** mostly ginger tortoiseshell tom with green eyes

 **Wetfur-** dark gray tom with blue eyes

 **Russetshine-** dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

 **Sleekpelt-** cream-and-white she-cat with green eyes

 **Spikeclaw-** black tom with amber eyes

 ** _Apprentices,_ Twigpaw- ** brown tom with amber eyes

 **Comfreypaw-** light gray she-cat with green eyes

 **Queens, Dewfall-** gray queen with blue eyes (Expecting Ferretclaw's kits)

 **Shrewfoot-** gray queen with black paws and amber eyes (Expecting Scorchfur's kits)

 ** _Elders,_ Applefur-** mottled brown she-cat with green eyes

 **Ratscar-** brown tom with a long scar across his back, yellow teeth, and green eyes

 **Snowbird-** sleek, pure-white she-cat with green eyes

 _WindClan_

 ** _Leader,_ Ashstar-** thin gray she-cat with blue eyes

 ** _Deputy,_ Whiskernose-** light brown tom with amber eyes

 ** _Medicine Cat,_ Kestrelflight-** brownish-gray tom with white splotches and green eyes **(Apprentice: Moorfur)**

 ** _Warriors,_ Harespring-** brown and white tom with green eyes

 **Sunstrike-** tortoiseshell she-cat with a large white mark on her forehead and blue eyes

 **Sedgewhisker-** pale, light brown tabby she- cat with blue eyes

 **Leaftail-** dark tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Emberfoot-** gray tom with two darker gray paws and yellow eyes

 **Heathertail-** light brown tabby she-cat with smoky, heather-blue eyes

 **Furzepelt-** gray and white she-cat with blue eyes **(Apprentice: Moonpaw)**

 **Boulderfur-** large, pale gray tom with blue eyes **(Apprentice: Barkpaw)**

 **Breezepelt-** black tom with amber eyes

 **Ticklefeather-** white she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Quickdash-** dark ginger tom with green eyes

 **Antleg-** brown tom with amber eyes

 **Thistlethorn-** dark brown tom with amber eyes

 **Willowbranch-** gray she-cat with blue eyes

 ** _Apprentices,_ Moorfur-** wiry pale brown tom with amber eyes

 **Moonpaw-** tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

 **Barkpaw-** brown tom with green eyes

 ** _Queens,_ Swallowtail-** dark gray she-cat with amber eyes (Mother to Leaftail's kits: **Magpiekit** , a gray tom with amber eyes; **Tuftkit** , a mottled dark tabby tom with yellow eyes; and **Twitchkit** , a gray-brown tom with an odd foot and green eyes)

 ** _Elders,_ Owlwhisker-** pale light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Weaselfur-** ginger tom with white paws and green eyes

 **Crowfeather-** very dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes

 **Gorsetail-** very pale gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

 _RiverClan_

 ** _Leader,_ Reedstar- ** sleek black tom with dark gray eyes

 ** _Deputy,_ Graymist-** pale gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 ** _Medicine Cat,_ Willowshine-** small dark gray tabby she- cat with bright green eyes **(Apprentice: Pouncepaw)**

 ** _Warriors,_ Mintfur-** light gray tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Troutstream-** pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes

 **Icewing-** pure-white she-cat with blue eyes

 **Mallownose-** light brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Rushtail-** light brown tabby she-cat with short legs and green eyes

 **Robinwing-** tortoiseshell-and-white tom with blue eyes

 **Grasspelt-** light brown tom with blue eyes **(Apprentice: Jumppaw)**

 **Hollowflight-** dark brown tabby tom with a pale-furred belly and amber eyes **(Apprentice: Leappaw)**

 **Duskfur-** brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Floodwater-** bluish-gray tom with blue eyes

 **Streamheart-** brown and white she-cat with blue eyes

 **Creektail-** brown tom with amber eyes

 **Waterdrop-** blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

 **Beetleflight-** light gray tabby tom with blue eyes

 ** _Apprentices,_ Pouncepaw- ** tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Jumppaw-** gray tabby tom with blue eyes

 **Leappaw-** brown tom with green eyes

 ** _Queens,_ Petalfur-** gray-and-white queen with amber eyes (Mother to Reedstar's kits: **Slugkit** , a brown tom with green eyes; **Horsekit** , a golden-brown tom with amber eyes; **Toadstoolkit** , a brown tom with a white- spotted underbelly and amber eyes; and **Brookkit** , a silver-gray she-kit with blue eyes)

 **Mossyfoot-** brown-and-white queen with green eyes (Expecting Floodwater's kits)

 ** _Elders,_ Minnowtail- ** dark gray she-cat with fluffy fur and amber eyes

 **Pebblefoot-** mottled gray tom with green eyes

 **Prologue**

"It's cold," a brown tabby murmured, her creamy fur fluffed up as another shudder rippled down her spine. "When can we go back to camp?"

"It's _cold_?" demanded a second cat, his raven-black coat smooth, every hair in its rightful place. "You have got to be kidding me, Heathertail. We are _WindClan_ cats, for the Dark Forest's sake. We live for the chilly winds whipping through our pelts."

Heathertail briefly flashed her fangs at the lean tom, her unusual blue eyes glittering with hostility. "Until we die from frostbite, that is." She hesitated, pummeling her paws against the tough moor grasses. "And don't mention that cursed place again."

The dark-furred tomcat whirled away from her, angry heat radiating off his pelt. As he spun, yet another biting gust scampered across the moor. Yet the breeze didn't even disturb his short, coarse pelt.

Meanwhile, the she-cat twisted so that her left shoulder was hunched, keeping her face, distorted from pain, out of his view. "Why do you always have to be so difficult?" she whispered.

He chuckled, not even glancing in her direction as he answered. "I'm not _always_ difficult, sweetheart. You see, I'm only difficult when I _choose_ to be."

"And right now you're choosing to be," Heathertail retorted, hunching her other shoulder and hanging her head between her bony shoulder blades.

There was no reply. She sighed, refusing to look in his direction when she finally lifted her head again. Bitter air grazed her numb nose, and she groaned. "There's snow coming, Breezepelt. I can smell it in the air."

Once more, no sound came from the panther-like warrior. Heathertail forced herself to sneak a glance where she had last seen him, but the silhouette that was forever burned into her memory was nowhere to be seen.

She rose to her full, slightly above-average height. The tabby coughed. It felt like claws were being dragged down her throat as she swallowed. "Breezepelt?" she rasped, her voice suddenly weak.

Her call was immediately overpowered by the howling wind. She puffed air through her berry-pink nose and padded forward a few steps. Her fur was prickling like crazy, like she had the creeping feeling that tom was playing a prank on her.

"Breezepelt?" she tried again. Pain seared like fire in her sore throat, but it was worth it, for faintly Heathertail could catch the grunt of, "Down here."

She threw herself down the petite slope, and gritted her teeth. Breaking into an abrupt run like that made her limbs feel like twigs breaking out of frost. Fortunately, the short-lived jog warmed her up, and in no time she spotted his black pelt, sharply contrasting with the off-white of the frostbitten moor grass.

His gaze, as orange as smoldering embers, met hers, and seemed to warm her up even more from within. She froze for a long moment, her breath clouding around her muzzle. It was only when he spoke that she snapped out of her trance.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get down here." He patted a smooth spot next to him on the pebbly shore of the lake. Her gaze flitted to his paw, and her heart skipped a beat. _The fur bunches around his claws… just like_ his _._

She was shoved into an underground cave she hadn't glimpsed in seasons. A snapshot of her foolish life from many moons ago.

Two young cats, not much over seven or eight moons old, circled each other, their tails waving in anticipation. She could recall every detail of him; the extra-thick fur around his neck, the suggestive gleam in his amber eyes, the little spot— a birthmark— of darker skin on his right ear. The fur that bunched around his claws. He was so different from her, yet he'd understood her. He was the stag to her doe, the mud that held her together.

But he was from ThunderClan.

 _"Let's call it 'DarkClan…'" he said._

However, like her meetings with him, her memories could never last. The image of the golden tabby faded, replaced by a livid Breezepelt. He had pounced from his spot by the lakeshore and bowled her over. Now his sleek pelt was standing up a little, while his ears were flat against his square head.

"You're thinking about him again," the black tom guessed effortlessly. Fury made him stumble over his words, and he shook himself violently as he jumped off of her and turned away yet again.

"I can't help it," she moaned. "I know he's moved on… but he's always lurking around in my thoughts. I- it's just too much to resist sometimes."

Breezepelt spat at the frozen ground. "You've moved on too, you know. You're with me now."

Heathertail lashed her tail. "I still haven't accepted your proposal yet," she argued. "I'm not about to be with you just because the elders think I'm getting too old to bear kits."

"Well, you're not getting any younger. And neither am I." He hesitated, then poured on. "A- and you know what? He's my half-brother. It's so _difficult_ for me when he is always the preferred one. Even _you_ , of all cats, prefer him. Crowfeather preferred him. Every cat in his Clan _loves_ him. Makes sense— the grandson of Firestar. Perfect mate, perfect kits." Breezepelt was facing her once again, and he leaned close so that his rank breath stirred her whiskers. "Why can't I have that too?"

"Because you have been absolutely wicked," she told him. "Plotting with that… that awful Place of No Stars, going rogue on your Clan—"

"The only cat who ever loved me and supported me was Nightcloud," Breezepelt mewed, going right along as if she hadn't spoken. "But she had to get slung three fox-lengths down the Thunderpath by a monster just as we were heading home."

Heathertail wrinkled her muzzle. "Don't talk about your mother's death so gruesomely like that. I'm sure it wasn't her intention to die."

"Oh, yes it was. She didn't want to return to WindClan," Breezepelt mewed, his voice very low all of a sudden. Heathertail tilted her ragged body closer so as to hear him better. "Returning was my idea. Choosing to kill herself on the Thunderpath was the only time she ever went against me. Against my wishes." He shook his head bitterly. "And now look where I am. Barely have a place in the Clan anymore. Crowfeather won't even look at me _still_. At least he retired from being deputy, now I don't have to respect him as much."

Heathertail's pelt itched. "I hate it when you talk like that. Like you're _relieved_ you don't have to even pretend to look up to your father anymore."

"He's not my father," said Breezepelt. "He's just an elder sitting around camp getting gray until he dies."

The brown she-cat didn't respond. Disgusted, she simply scowled at her paws, which had lost all feeling to the cold long ago.

"But forget about death— let's talk about birth," Breezepelt went on. She could feel his eyes burning holes in her, so she glanced upward and met his gaze. "Be my mate, Heathertail. The Clan has noticed you've been withdrawn lately. Nobody wants to see the daughter of Onestar acting so mysterious."

She took a long breath. "You're doing exactly what Crowfeather did. Taking a WindClan mate just to prove you're loyal."

Breezepelt met her glare for glare. "I don't have anything to prove."

"Right," Heathertail laughed. "Don't act like I didn't see what you were doing with her."

* * *

 **Notable Deaths:** Graystripe (drowned in When the Sun Goes Down), Foxleap (killed by foxes in A New Destiny), Sorreltail (died from greencough in A New Destiny), Onestar (drowned in When the Sun Goes Down), Mistystar (died from old age before When the Sun Goes Down), Littlecloud (died from old age before When the Sun Goes Down), Cherrystem [a.k.a. Cherryfall] (carried off by a hawk in When the Sun Goes Down)

 **Who is Who?** Lilyfern and Seedspeck are my version of Lilyheart and Seedpaw. Amberear, Snowtail, and Dewclaw are my version of Ambermoon, Snowbush, and Dewnose. Seedspeck and Amberear also go by their initial descriptions.

 **Foxleap** \+ _Hazeltail_ = **Smokyfur** , **Larchfeather**

 **Tigerheart** \+ _Icecloud_ = **Puddlepaw** , _Oakpaw_ , **Bloodpaw** (Note: Yes, Bloodpaw is albino. And Tigerheart joined ThunderClan to be with his mate and kits.)

 **Lionblaze** \+ _Cinderheart_ = _Honeypaw_ , **Flintpaw** , **Stonepaw**

 **Bumblestripe** \+ _Dovewing_ = _Beepaw_ , _Morningpaw_ (Note: Bumblestripe and Dovewing have since broken up. Dovewing has unresolved feelings for Tigerheart, even though he doesn't love her anymore.)

 **Unknown** \+ _Ivypool_ = **Lakepaw** , **Fogpaw**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is as far as I ever got with this story, which I last wrote for on October 24, 2015. My writing style has greatly improved since then, and I will be adding nothing more to this story, but I wanted to post this tidbit just to get it out there, just in case. Thank you for reading my stuff!**

* * *

Beepaw felt warm; leaf-bare's icy claws were hardly able to reach her through the thick forest layered between her and the outside world.

Everything seemed perfect: the sunlight slicing easily through the bare treetops, the faint breeze that kept the gray she-cat on her toes just enough.

Until something snagged on her tail and in one unfortunately flawless move Beepaw was flipped roughly onto her back.

Beepaw groaned, and Amberear's shocked face swam above her. "Lakepaw! All I dared you to do was clap your forepaws around her tail… I didn't challenge you to flip her over like a flimsy squirrel."

"Thanks for helping me up," Beepaw grunted bitterly once she was on all fours again. She shook out her pelt thoroughly and fixed a firm glare on the black-and-white bully. "By StarClan, you two are both acting six moons old!"

Lakepaw shrugged not-so-apologetically. Muscles rippled beneath his pelt even with this tiny movement, and Beepaw rolled her eyes. "Hey, Amberear's like the sister I never had! Stop chiding us like Fogpaw would."

"This is what I get when Squirrelflight puts me on a patrol with these two 'hooligans,'" Beepaw added in a mutter.

She could feel Lakepaw's breath uncomfortably hot on her cheek. "Hey, I heard that!" he growled. He paused. "And hey, that's a Morningpaw word!"

Beepaw whirled around, startling him so much that he leaped away and rammed his back into a scrubby tree. As he caterwauled, she burst out giggling as if she were insane. "Hooligans!" she cried, tears gathering at the edges of her eyes. "I can't believe that word seriously just left my mouth."

Amberear snorted, flicking both apprentices over the ears with her tail. "Now look whose acting six moons old."

"You mean _nine_ moons old?" Beepaw corrected her, drawing herself up and puffing out her chest.

"Yeah, yeah, know how to add, Amberear," Lakepaw pressed. "Remember, I can reach up to flick _your_ ear now." He did just that, but Amberear ducked just in time, causing the mentor-and-apprentice pair to explode into their own fit of laughter.

Beepaw turned away, grinning contently as she slipped forward through a patch of rotting ferns. For a split few heartbeats, her joy faded as she swept her blue optics over the browning plants. _I remember that patch was lush and green just a quarter-moon ago. Things can change so fast…_

Nearly a whole season— leaf-fall— had passed since Foxleap's murder. Bramblestar had decided to immediately commence the impending final battle with the band of foxes dubbed "FoxClan" that had been living on ThunderClan and a portion of WindClan territory for far too long.

Beepaw remembered their last confrontation with FoxClan like it was yesterday: soon after returning home from the Gathering, most of ThunderClan had stormed the foxes' camp…

 _"We're going to get killed!" Morningpaw whined, her yellow eyes glittering with undisguised terror as the cats pounded over the stinky border._

 _Beepaw wrinkled her nose not just at the reek of fox dung, but also at the fear-scent wafting off of her sister's pelt. "What's wrong with you? Why did you come with us then?"_

 _"Why did_ you _come?" hissed Morningpaw in return. "_ I _got pushed into the group and right out of camp._ I _had no choice. But_ you _, meanwhile, decided to thrust yourself into this battle party, place a significant risk on your life, and not care about how many cats you'll hurt if you get slaughtered out there."_

 _Rage detonated inside of Beepaw. "Every word you breathe is you scolding somebody! Chill out for once, have fun for once! We're just tearing the fur off of a few foxes, that's all."_

 _"We're also_ fighting _foxes, Beepaw, not just giving them a 'haircut,'" Morningpaw retorted, at first apparently unfazed by her sister's outburst. But then the silver she-cat was silent after that. Beepaw was satisfied, and didn't even wonder how much more she'd severed the ties of their relationship._

 _The cats crashed through one final line of brush, and Beepaw found herself directly in the heart of the enemy base. With the fiercest battle cry she could muster, she sprung at a vixen with a creamy orange pelt. The she-brute was heavily scarred and stumbling out of a den— Beepaw didn't even recognize who she was._

 _"Take this, Fox-face! Do you like the idea of my claws scraping your belly? 'Cause I'll gladly do that. Or how about the idea of_ scram _, eh? Scram from our territory—"_

 _"Off, cat," the fox replied. This was paired with a simple whap to Beepaw's chest, and the gray tabby was sent sailing across the clearing. She landed at Squirrelflight's ginger and white forepaws._

 _The deputy leaned down, shock gleaming in her green gaze as she grabbed Beepaw by the scruff and hauled her up. "Was that my mind running wild," Squirrelflight panted, "or did I just see you get smacked to the sun-drown-place by the fox leader?"_

 _Before Beepaw could answer, a sniggering dark red fox thrust his scraped muzzle between the two. Yellow teeth and foul breath scored Beepaw's face worse than claws could, and she fell back with a gasp._

 _"Aaka leader no more. Zing lead now. Idiot kitties." He swiped his tongue over his chops, but Squirrelflight kicked him away._

 _"StarClan! That Aaka vixen was so weakened after that battle in our camp, her second-in-command just took control over her!" Squirrelflight breathed._

 _Dizzy, Beepaw scrambled to her paws and shook herself, holding her tongue from saying "Well, that's obvious enough." Instead she added, "And I bet that scrubby imbecile is Zing's new suck-up."_


End file.
